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Local media starting to call out the Jazz

The Midnight

The Midnight

#Baby_Talk
Contributor
So it has started:

https://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/jazz/56176435-87/jazz-playoff-season-game.html.csp

Everybody probably should thank the Jazz for saving them the trouble of agonizing about Los Angeles Lakers’ late game Wednesday, investing in playoff tickets or worrying about their team being swept again in the first round.

If the Jazz’s exercise in Memphis was this year’s closest thing to a playoff game, a snapshot of how they might play in the postseason, nobody would want to witness what may have unfolded against Oklahoma City.

Never in franchise history had the Jazz faced an in-or-out playoff scenario on the final day of the regular season. Their response? Dreadful.

The end came painfully, with the Jazz shooting 32 percent from the field in an 86-70 defeat.

Wow. I actually was eager to see how coach Tyrone Corbin and any number of players would perform in the context of needing a road victory against a good team. Whether it was their last appearance together or not, the game would serve as a career checkpoint for Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, Gordon Hayward, Mo Williams and everybody else.

And this debacle is what they gave us.

So anyone suggesting the Jazz (43-39) made progress this season is misguided, or wonderfully forgiving. This team went 13-15 after the All-Star break. The only way to measure advancement in pro sports is in the playoffs, and Corbin and his players failed to give themselves that opportunity in 2012-13.

The only positive aspect of Wednesday’s effort is that Jazz executives Kevin O’Connor and Dennis Lindsey are now free to do whatever they want in dismantling and reassembling this team. There should be no strong attachment to anybody — not even Paul Millsap, the franchise’s only remaining link to past playoff success. Millsap hit 2 of 7 shots, a showing made to look good only by the 1-for-9 and 3-for-13 efforts of Randy Foye and Williams.

Jefferson carried the Jazz all the way to the end, with 22 points and 16 rebounds Wednesday. Yet his three-year Jazz tenure is likely over, with how many playoff victories to show for it? Zero. That’s the same total as Hayward and Derrick Favors, the franchise cornerstones going forward, and their coach.

The real work begins now for O’Connor and Lindsey, reworking a roster that’s filled with players who are soon to become free agents. That’s why, amid some redeeming moments at various points, this sure feels like a wasted season.

For the sake of drama in Los Angeles, a lot of people wanted the Jazz to win in Memphis, just to see if the Lakers could answer. The sequence of events resembled the University of Utah’s 2011 football season, when the Utes needed an Arizona State loss to hand them the Pac-12 South title — while their own victory over Colorado was assumed.

The Utes short-circuited themselves by losing, and so did the Jazz.

The Jazz’s defeat meant the Lakers were off the hook, going into their game against Houston. The fact is the Lakers were more deserving of a playoff berth, considering what they’ve done lately with and without Kobe Bryant.

The irony of the Jazz’s quest is that last year, when they qualified in the second-to-last game, they would have benefited by failing to make the playoffs. They would have retained a draft pick that instead went to Minnesota via the Jefferson trade.

This year, besides having Golden State’s pick late in the first round, they’re in the lottery. But that likely will mean a jump of only a few spots in the draft order, unless they’re lucky. Anybody feeling good about those odds, right about now?

kkragthorpe@sltrib.com

Twitter: @tribkurt
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This season was a compromise. The Jazz weren't really going to be a competitive team, but the front office probably felt that tanking was not something the franchise wanted to do. Or maybe, they felt that this year's draft wasn't worth tanking for. So the Jazz won some games, entertained their fans, and otherwise punted on the season. It was a year of mediocrity, indecisiveness, or both.

Thing is, when the Jazz did tank in 04 to ultimately draft DWill, I was on board with it. I wonder if the Jazz lost money that year and felt they couldn't afford to do it again.
 
Catchall said:
This season was a compromise. The Jazz weren't really going to be a competitive team, but the front office probably felt that tanking was not something the franchise wanted to do. Or maybe, they felt that this year's draft wasn't worth tanking for. So the Jazz won some games, entertained their fans, and otherwise punted on the season. It was a year of mediocrity, indecisiveness, or both.

Thing is, when the Jazz did tank in 04 to ultimately draft DWill, I was on board with it. I wonder if the Jazz lost money that year and felt they couldn't afford to do it again.
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I sure hope Greg has the courage to forego next season and get a decent draft pick. I wouldn't mind him keeping Ty for 1 more season just to see out his contract and start afresh in '14 with a new coach.

Let's hope they have the strength to go through with this "proper" rebuild.
 
It feels like next season is an intentional tank, then we can blame Corbin and move on.. it's going to absolutely suck, but we really don't have any other direction to turn at this point. As long as 1 of the C4 proves they can be an All-Star type of a player, then next season will be a success.. that's just where we are at right now.
 
David Stern said:
It feels like next season is an intentional tank, then we can blame Corbin and move on.. it's going to absolutely suck, but we really don't have any other direction to turn at this point. As long as 1 of the C4 proves they can be an All-Star type of a player, then next season will be a success.. that's just where we are at right now.
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As long as I see Kanter, Favors & Hayward as starters, I'll be happy whether or not we win. I've watched enough Big Al & Mo jacking up shots this season.
 
Hotttnickkk said:
I sure hope Greg has the courage to forego next season and get a decent draft pick.Let's hope they have the strength to go through with this "proper" rebuild.
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Hmm..so you want to us to keep rebuilding even after 2 years? Forgoing a season just to get a draft pick with a 50% success rate is mindnumbingly dumb.

Jazz have already have 4 lotto picks. Develop them first before you think about adding yet another one.
Also plan on how you are going to keep atleast 3 if not all 4 of the lotto picks when their rookie contracts are up.
How are you going to add veteran help while keeping all these 4?
Those are the things Jazz should be worried about. Not about getting a pick in 2014, then developing him in 2015, only to see some of their current lotto picks walk away and then start rebuild all over again.
 
The local media is usually soft on the Jazz FO and especially on Miller. Except for Monson, occasionally, none of these guys have the balls to call out the management and question their direction and the stagnancy of the team.
 
vj_74 said:
Hmm..so you want to us to keep rebuilding even after 2 years? Forgoing a season just to get a draft pick with a 50% success rate is mindnumbingly dumb.

Jazz have already have 4 lotto picks. Develop them first before you think about adding yet another one.
Also plan on how you are going to keep atleast 3 if not all 4 of the lotto picks when their rookie contracts are up.
How are you going to add veteran help while keeping all these 4?
Those are the things Jazz should be worried about. Not about getting a pick in 2014, then developing him in 2015, only to see some of their current lotto picks walk away and then start rebuild all over again.
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Are you aware of the kind of talent that exists in the '14 draft?

It's not about how many picks we already have, it's about getting quality picks, or a player that could join our current young players. The Jazz can't miss out on the talent that exists in the '14 draft, mainly because we're not a FA destination that can just reel in Christ Paul or Dwight Howard on a regular basis. Any chance to add legit talent, we have to be there. Missing out would put us behind the 8 ball.
 
vj_74 said:
The local media is usually soft on the Jazz FO and especially on Miller. Except for Monson, occasionally, none of these guys have the balls to call out the management and question their direction and the stagnancy of the team.
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Now that the Millers have bought out the station I do feel Monson has been holding his tongue a bit this past year. Hopefully other news outlet will let it all out and let them know what's what.
 
vj_74 said:
Hmm..so you want to us to keep rebuilding even after 2 years? Forgoing a season just to get a draft pick with a 50% success rate is mindnumbingly dumb.

Jazz have already have 4 lotto picks. Develop them first before you think about adding yet another one.
Also plan on how you are going to keep atleast 3 if not all 4 of the lotto picks when their rookie contracts are up.
How are you going to add veteran help while keeping all these 4?
Those are the things Jazz should be worried about. Not about getting a pick in 2014, then developing him in 2015, only to see some of their current lotto picks walk away and then start rebuild all over again.
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I think he is arguing for handing the reigns over to the core 4 and inevitably, they aren't going to be a great team to begin with so we will get a nice pick that draft anyway.
 
vj_74 said:
Hmm..so you want to us to keep rebuilding even after 2 years? Forgoing a season just to get a draft pick with a 50% success rate is mindnumbingly dumb.

Jazz have already have 4 lotto picks. Develop them first before you think about adding yet another one.
Also plan on how you are going to keep atleast 3 if not all 4 of the lotto picks when their rookie contracts are up.
How are you going to add veteran help while keeping all these 4?
Those are the things Jazz should be worried about. Not about getting a pick in 2014, then developing him in 2015, only to see some of their current lotto picks walk away and then start rebuild all over again.
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The Jazz have NOT been rebuilding they have played it safe and now they are two years behind the actual rebuild they need to do. And what great vet FA are going to sign with Utah?
 
cowhide said:
Besides the fact that the 2014 draft may be one of the best drafts in recent NBA history.
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A lot of speculation involved in drafting, no matter how stacked the deck may seem.
 
We desperately need a good PG and some more guard line depth. Our midround 1st round picks could be used to help improve our depth but we are going to need a big-time free agent signing or a sign and trade.
 
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